1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automobile bumper structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
With respect to an automobile bumper structure, a structure is known as shown in FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-205613 specification). Herein, FIG. 16B is a sectional view of the structure, seen along a Y9—Y9 line in FIG. 16A. This structure is configured by: right and left bracket bodies 135 whose rear-end parts are each supported via an attachment plate 136 and which are curved toward the rear of a bumper face under 126 and each extend to a front side frame (not shown); a hollow body 150 which is connected to these right and left bracket bodies 135 between them via an attachment plate 132; a vertical rib 152 and a lateral rib 151 which are provided on the front surface of the hollow body 150; and others.
However, this structure increases the number of parts, thereby making its assemblage difficult. It also increases the number of fastening positions, requiring many fastening parts. This makes production costs higher.
This structure is supposed to prevent a pedestrian or the like from getting caught under the body of a vehicle when hit by the vehicle. However, the vertical rib 152 and the lateral rib 151 are formed to protrude forward on the reverse side of (or behind) the bumper face under 126, and thus, an impact, which is given by the tips of those ribs, concentrates on a body part which the pedestrian or the like has been hit on, though there is the bumper face under 126 in front of the ribs. This is expected to make injuries sustained to that body part more severe.
As another automobile bumper structure, a structure shown in FIG. 17 is known (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-274298 specification). In the bumper structure disclosed by this specification, the lower part (or a bumper face under 126) of a bumper fascia 102 in a front bumper 101 extends to a frame 106 of a vehicle and connected, at its lower-end part, to the frame 106. Behind and inside of this bumper fascia 102, an impact absorbing body 110 is provided which is fastened to the frame 106 and extends forward. In the impact absorbing body 110 are formed a rib 13 which extends in the vehicle-width directions and a plurality of front-and-rear direction ribs 112 which extend in the front-and-rear directions.
This structure is supposed to prevent a pedestrian or the like from getting caught under the body of a vehicle when hit by the vehicle. However, the impact absorbing body 110, which is a reinforcement member that prevents a pedestrian or the like from getting caught under the vehicle body, is made of resin and is supported only on one side with the frame 106, thereby weakening its supporting rigidity. As a result, when a vehicle has hit a pedestrian or the like, the impact absorbing body 110 may be bent upward from the part at which it is fastened to the frame 106, forcing the pedestrian or the like who has been hit to get caught under the vehicle.
The impact absorbing body 110 is provided with a large number of ribs 112, 113. Thus, to make this impact absorbing body 110 more rigid, the ribs 112, 113 need to be increased in number or to be thickened, thereby increasing its weight.